What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

corvette8n

corvette8n

Well-known member
What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

What size clutch can I expect to find in my ‘41 long door coupe. Did Ford only use one size for automobiles? I guessing my car was made between April and June of ‘41 based on serial # and glass date codes.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

Probably a nine-inch but there was a switchover and as such many were equipped with a ten-inch assembly.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

If you happen to have access to the inspection cover at the front of the trans, you could look in there. A flat flywheel is gonna be a 10", and the thick blob flywheel is gonna be a 9"
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

JMO but if you need a new clutch stay away from Ft. Wayne Clutch. They used to be a go to source. Today, not so much.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

Fort Wayne should be considered a rebuilder. Many new clutch covers are better for the N model tractors. If it has flyweights and decent springs then it's usable. Many parts sources sell the tractor clutches as 9-inch replacements.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

cas3 said:
If you happen to have access to the inspection cover at the front of the trans, you could look in there. A flat flywheel is gonna be a 10", and the thick blob flywheel is gonna be a 9"
Click to expand...

Well, yeah, maybe. Every clutch replacement I have done (too many to recall) I have cut that bell off of the flywheel.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

51504bat said:
JMO but if you need a new clutch stay away from Ft. Wayne Clutch. They used to be a go to source. Today, not so much.
Click to expand...

Not just your opinion. Mine as well as many others too.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

Someone in a similar thread listed a shop in KY (I think) that is still rebuilding them the correct way.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

Tim Ayers said:
Someone in a similar thread listed a shop in KY (I think) that is still rebuilding them the correct way.
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Tim, That's the place I went to after Ft. Wayne turned bad. That place is awesome!
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

Kube, you cut the "blob" I call it, off all your flywheels? I do too. Two reasons, one, the writings of late great Rumbleseat, and Bruce Lancaster, thats the lightest "Ford "flywheel you can have without buying some aftermarket piece. Two, I have a lathe, so its fun and has no cost. You, a retired tool and die maker..I assume you have lathe at home too, So no cost. In the real world, I doubt the corner gas station that put the last clutch in in 1965 or so, would recommend the customer to pull the flywheel and send it out to a machine shop. The OP's car seems pretty original, so my statement would stand unless someone put a truck motor in with an 11" clutch. Not likely on the OP's car. The 9" flywheel with the blob cut off is a remarkable difference. They wind up fast, and decelerate fast, making shifting easier and you think you gained a bunch of HP.

Henry, and the rest of the industry at the time, believed in heavy flywheels. Model A's are 60 lbs! I forget the v8's, and what you loose by cutting off the blob, old brain seems to delete more than it takes in these days!
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

cas3 said:
Kube, you cut the "blob" I call it, off all your flywheels? I do too. Two reasons, one, the writings of late great Rumbleseat, and Bruce Lancaster, thats the lightest "Ford "flywheel you can have without buying some aftermarket piece. Two, I have a lathe, so its fun and has no cost. You, a retired tool and die maker..I assume you have lathe at home too, So no cost. In the real world, I doubt the corner gas station that put the last clutch in in 1965 or so, would recommend the customer to pull the flywheel and send it out to a machine shop. The OP's car seems pretty original, so my statement would stand unless someone put a truck motor in with an 11" clutch. Not likely on the OP's car. The 9" flywheel with the blob cut off is a remarkable difference. They wind up fast, and decelerate fast, making shifting easier and you think you gained a bunch of HP.

Henry, and the rest of the industry at the time, believed in heavy flywheels. Model A's are 60 lbs! I forget the v8's, and what you loose by cutting off the blob, old brain seems to delete more than it takes in these days!
Click to expand...

At one time I knew how much lighter the wheel was once modified. Like you, the ol' memory bank doesn't work as well as it once had.
I did balance all flywheels prior to installation.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

Kube said:
At one time I knew how much lighter the wheel was once modified. Like you, the ol' memory bank doesn't work as well as it once had.
I did balance all flywheels prior to installation.
Click to expand...

12lbs. seems to come to mind. I'm in the light flywheel camp. There really is no need to have such a heavy weight hanging off the end.

Like Cas3 mentioned, it is surprising how much liveness it adds to the engine without so much moving mass on the end.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

I have cut the heavy ring off and can confirm it does need to be balanced afterwards. I did mine by a home brew method which seems to have worked ok. Lathes are great.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

I went w a 10” in my ‘35 Tudor & have enjoyed it for years! The pressure to push is almost not noticeable! Some advise, I experience a situation that stumped me & others. I requested a 10” assy on my ‘49 8ba engine I was having built. Obviously the builder didn’t notice the vibration during the bench test stand. I installed it n my ‘35 w a rebuilt ‘39 ****** & over 1000 rpm the vibration was terrible. Long story short, it was the 10” clutch flywheel. It was n 11” flywheel redrilled as a 10” & was out of concentric .075”. After months of trying to find the problem I finally had an experienced Early Ford mechanic discover it. He installed a correct 10” flywheel in & it purred with no vibration! He said it was pretty common w guys wanting to replace the 9” assy w a 10” so they’d get a junked 11” & use the 9” as a drill fixture instead of having it done on a boring mill or Bridgeport mill.
Best of Luck on your project!
Tony
 
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Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

AnthonyG said:
I went w a 10” in my ‘35 Tudor & have enjoyed it for years! The pressure to push is almost not noticeable! Some advise, I experience a situation that stumped me & others. I requested a 10” asst on my ‘49 8ba engine I was having built. Obviously the builder didn’t notice the vibration during the bench test stand.i installed it n my ‘35 w a rebuilt ‘39 ****** & over 1000 rpm the vibration was terrible. Long story short, it was the 10” clutch flywheel. It was n 11” flywheel redrilled as a 10”& was out of concentric .075”. I finally had an experienced Early Ford mechanic discover it. He installed a correct 10” flywheel in & it purred with no vibration!
Click to expand...

I have drilled and tapped flywheels for different clutches. However, all of this was done utilizing precise coordinates.
To think as some do, they can simply "get it close enough" by marking the holes in a clutch plate is laughable.
 
Re: What size clutch ‘41 sedan coupe

I've done redrilling using a rotary table and have shown it many times in my videos.

All this talk about clutches - is it clutch chatter?

Mart.
 
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